By Majirata Latela
Stone Shi has signed an acknowledgement form to admit that he owes the government of Lesotho M10,530,766 which the government will on his behalf pay wool and mohair growers whose payment has been pending since the 2018/19 sale of their commodity.
Speaking at a press conference in Maseru today, the minister of small business development, cooperatives and marketing Chief Thesele Maseribane said the ministry of finance has allocated his ministry the aforementioned amount.
“We have already planned as the ministry that from this week, wool and mohair farmers will be paid through the three banks, Lesotho Post Bank, First National Bank and Standard Lesotho Bank while others will be paid by the sheering sheds in collaboration with the ministry.
“The ministry has submitted payment vouchers of the three banks on April 202021 to the ministry of finance to pay farmers. Payments processed paid: Standard Bank – 643 farmers, Lesotho Post Bank 114 farmers and FNB two farmers.
“We have 1810 farmers with inactive bank accounts and those who do not have bank accounts at all. The sheering sheds will compile their lists so that single payments are made to the sheds directly,” Thesele said.